Across the legal sector – from the partner level in private firms and general counsel in major corporates, right through to new recruits fresh out of law school – research shows that there remains barriers to entering and progressing through the sector for certain groups and demographics.
Mentoring and sponsorship One trend which emerged in the research conducted to support this report, was a much more serious focus on sponsorship and mentoring in the US compared with the UK and Europe.
Reconfiguring work In terms of gender equality, the point when women have children is still where the biggest drop off occurs. This is, however, not the only point, according to Vodafone Americas GC, Megan Doberneck.
It’s no secret that the United States takes diversity very seriously. Since the advent of the Bill of Rights – which in 1789 laid bare the basic personal freedoms, civil liberties and protections guaranteed by the Constitution – diversity and inclusion has been an evolving process.
To complement the qualitative research carried out with those featured and profiled in this publication, a comprehensive quantitative investigation looking at diversity and inclusion from all angles was completed in order to add depth to the research.
Amy Weaver, general counsel of technology behemoth Salesforce, talks about how corporate social responsibility regarding diversity can be a boon for business.
Diversity and inclusion is a core value for the Bank of Montreal – both as a business imperative and corporate value. GC sat down with Chicago-based deputy general counsel Caroline Tsai to learn more about the bank’s commitment to diversity and how the in-house legal department is taking the lead.
NAMWOLF is the acronym used by the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms, an organization aiming to change the face of the legal industry with a focus on supplier diversity. Its CEO, Joel Stern – a former deputy general counsel at Accenture, speaks with GC about NAMWOLF’s mission and how it’s going to get there.
Walmart general counsel Karen Roberts has been a long-standing champion for diversity, both within the businesses she serves and amongst the wider legal community. She shares the initiatives Walmart have been implementing internally, as well as her thoughts on how major corporates can leverage their size and standing to effect change.
Mastercard’s general counsel Tim Murphy is in the unusual position of having not just overall responsibility for the legal function, but for diversity and inclusion across the company. Murphy sat down with GC to discuss a global diversity agenda and the unique role of lawyers in pushing progress.